That about summed up Nate Zilar.
He had spent too much time between then and now wallowing in self-pity, and he shrugged it off, returning to the mystery of Violet. If she was a werewolf—and he felt strongly that she was—why wasn’t he repulsed by that? He hated werewolves. But that didn’t come close to describing the red-hot bitterness he felt toward them. When Nate had been at his most vulnerable, a werewolf had tried to use him as a murder weapon. That werewolf was now the Wolf Leader. The only thing that had kept Nate alive throughout the last six years was the knowledge that one day he would pay Nevan back for what he had tried to do. No matter what Cal might say, one day Nate would look that bastard in the eye before he took his revenge.
But the thought that Violet might be a werewolf didn’t repulse him. On the contrary. It excited him. Aroused him. It called to something dark and primeval inside him. Something he thought had gone forever when Cal drove that knife into his heart. Something he didn’t want to explore. Because, if he explored it, he would have to name it.
Violet had triggered not only his protective instincts, but so much more. A memory, a longing, stirred deep within him. A younger man’s sweet dreams of romantic love coupled with a healthy dose of good old-fashioned lust. Both were things he had never thought to feel again. Yet here he was lying beside Violet with an erection so rock solid his zipper was in danger of leaving a permanent imprint on his penis as a reminder. And for a werewolf? He shook his head. If only he’d known. All these years and all it had needed to restore his manhood was a little wolf porn.
At that inopportune moment, Violet stirred. A soft sigh murmured against Nate’s cheek, jacking his already iron-hard cock to even more uncomfortable proportions. Her eyes opened slowly. Confusion blurred their depths for a few seconds, then she smiled and Nate’s heart faltered. This is what it would feel like to wake up next to Violet every day. To see her head on the pillow next to his, that smile in her eyes, to be able to kiss those sweet lips, draw her close, relieve the aching demon between his thighs...
“I’m hungry.”
She means for food, he told himself sternly, forcing his mind away from his raging erection. “I’ll have Daniel organize breakfast.”
Daniel must have been anticipating their needs, and before long, they were seated at the table in the salon with a choice of hot and cold dishes spread before them. Nate was conscious of Violet studying his face as they ate.
“What’s our story to be?” she asked eventually. “Are we pretending I’m your girlfriend?”
“I hadn’t thought about it. Does it matter?”
“Surely your friends and family will wonder what’s going on if you turn up with me at your side and no explanation.”
Friends and family? He didn’t have any. The other members of the band were about as close as he came to either, and they wouldn’t interrogate him. They had never questioned each other. “Pretend girlfriend. Close friend. Whichever you choose.”
A slight frown furrowed her smooth brow. “All this—” she waved a hand to indicate the plane “—I can’t just accept your generosity indefinitely, Nate. You have to let me do something in return.”
He quirked a brow at her. “What did you have in mind?”
A soft pink blush stained her cheeks as his meaning hit her, and she gave a little gasp before plowing on. “I don’t know because I don’t know what I can do.” Her brow wrinkled. “It’s hard to explain. I don’t know what my qualifications are. I could be an artist or an attorney. Maybe I could clean your apartment or cook for you?” Her eyes clouded. “If I know how to cook.”
Nate caught hold of her hand. “Violet—” he waved his other hand, just as she had done “—all this means nothing. I have enough money to care for you until your memory comes back or we find your family. In the meantime, relax and enjoy it. I’m going to. Being on the road is lonely and boring as hell.” An image of his bandmates came into his mind. Boring as hell? Maybe not the first words that sprang to mind when describing the phenomenon that was Beast. “I’m glad to have your company.”
Violet’s expression remained doubtful, but she ate the rest of her meal in silence. It was a huge meal, Nate observed, consisting mostly of meat, eggs and berries. She shuddered at his offer of coffee, drinking water instead. Her choice of food and the quantity she ate seemed to support Nate’s suspicion that she could be a werewolf. Or maybe she adhered to some diet he was unaware of. Or she had allergies. Perhaps he should stop second-guessing and do what he had said...just enjoy her company.
As Violet met his eyes and smiled, Nate decided finding pleasure in being with her wasn’t going to be a hardship. On the contrary, he had a feeling Violet’s company might prove to be addictive.
* * *
Since their arrival in London a few hours earlier, Violet felt like she had been plunged into a whirlwind of light and sound and movement. A car and driver had met them at the airport and driven them through busy streets to Nate’s luxurious apartment long enough for him to prepare for the tour. He had shown Violet to a guest room, where she had showered and selected an expensive outfit from one of her new suitcases. The unknown person who had been sent by Nate’s manager to shop for her had done an impeccable job.
“How did they know my size?” she asked Nate as she turned to study the fit of the tight black jeans in a full-length mirror in the hall.
“I sent Ged some details.” The look in his eyes as they traveled up her legs and skimmed her ass left her feeling slightly breathless. “I guess I must be better at describing the female form than I thought.”
His hair was still damp from the shower, and his chest and feet were bare. He wore hip-skimming jeans and had a towel slung around his neck. Violet was suddenly very aware of his potent masculinity. Of his upper body that was a masterpiece of well-defined, taut chest muscles and superchiseled abs that cried out to be touched. The thought made her cheeks flame, even though she couldn’t drag her eyes away.
As he lifted the towel to his hair, his sharp-edged biceps and sculpted stomach tightened. His hips were so well defined that the sharp V line of his muscles drew her eye downward. Her imagination ran wild as she pictured running her hands over that broad chest, exploring those ridges of muscle, sliding lower... Raw, untamed need pulsed through her. Every cell in her body was achingly aware of him and, even though her memory was gone, Violet knew she had never felt like this before.
Aware of Nate’s eyes on her face, she forced her thoughts away from such dangerous territory and back to practical matters. “What happens now?”
He grimaced. “People imagine that life on tour is glamorous. But it isn’t. It’s hard, boring work. In fact, it feels like Groundhog Day.” He frowned. “That doctor said you needed to take things easy. Even though we’ll be traveling, I intend to make sure you do that.”
Violet shook her head, a slight smile trembling on her lips. “Whatever brought me to those woods on that night, it didn’t just bring me an encounter with a werewolf. It also brought me a meeting with you, so I can’t regret it.”
His expression was slightly bemused as he smiled down at her. “What does that mean?”
“I’m not sure. I don’t understand it myself. I just don’t think I’ve ever had this feeling before, of someone looking out for me the way you do.”
Nate laughed. “Having lost your memory, maybe you wouldn’t
